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Orlando Pride vs. CF Monterrey, NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup: Final Score 2-2 as Pride Draw Rayadas and Win Penalty Shootout

The Pride came back from two deficits to draw CF Monterrey Femenil in the Summer Cup before taking a second point on penalties.

Published

2 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride (0-0-2, 3 points) came back from two deficits to draw CF Monterrey Femenil (0-1-1, 1 point) 2-2 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. Former Pride forward Christina Burkenroad gave the hosts the lead in the 43rd minute, but Alex Kerr equalized in the 50th minute with her first professional goal. Las Rayadas retook the lead in the 61st minute from a great Rebeca Bernal strike, and Julie Doyle, a second-half substitute in this game, equalized in the 83rd minute. The Pride then won 5-4 on penalties to claim the extra point.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made six changes to the starting lineup that drew 1-1 against the North Carolina Courage a week ago. McKinley Crone, Haley McCutcheon, Amanda Allen, Summer Yates, and Doyle all started the game on the bench and Bri Martinez was out after suffering a leg injury in North Carolina. They were replaced by Sofia Manner, Cori Dyke, Mariana Larroquette, Ally Lemos, Evelina Duljan, and Kerr.

“There’s a few niggles that we don’t want to risk. Haley McCutcheon, Kerry Abello both having niggles and we don’t want to put any of our players at risk,” Hines said. “But also it gives players an opportunity to go out there and perform. So, the likes of Cori Dyke coming in and playing left back position. She’s played a couple of times off the bench, but getting the start and rolling in that position was really important for us moving forward into the end of the season. Players like Ally Lemos, she’s had two starts all year, but coming in and starting the game, really important for her development moving forward. Evelina, you know, only played 10 minutes last game, but then getting her start and she fully took her opportunity today. And that was really pleasing to see. So, yeah, we’re going to need players in this last 10 games in the season to make sure that we get ourselves in a position that we all hope for, and what we wanted at the start of the year.”

Hines went with a 4-3-3 formation to start this game, a rarity for the Pride. The back line in front of Manner in goal was Dyke, Kylie Strom, Carrie Lawrence, and Celia. Lemos, Morgan Gautrat, and Duljan were in the midfield, with Ally Watt, Kerr, and Larroquette up top.

The Pride got off to the better start, creating multiple chances in the first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the visitors struggled to get the ball into the final third. Rayadas had their first chance around the 30-minute mark and began to create problems after that. The main issue for this Pride lineup — which was largely made up of reserves — was finding the target. As a result, they had to come back from two deficits, but did so to get something from the game.

The Pride got off to an attacking start, though they found it difficult to find a way through the back line. Watt dribbled across the top of the box in the ninth minute and shot from distance, but it was blocked. Larroquette had her first chance to shoot shortly after and her first attempt at goal was blocked by a defender as well.

It looked like the Pride might have a breakaway in the 10th minute when Strom sent Kerr behind the Monterrey back line. She had a step on her defender, but the flag went up for offside.

In the 14th minute, Watt went down from a challenge by Jermaine Seoposenwe off of a Pride throw-in. The ensuing set piece by Lemos was headed over the crossbar by Merel van Dongen for the game’s first corner kick. Again, Lemos took the set piece. However, it was too close to Rayadas goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar, who caught it in the air.

The visitors had their first decent attack in the 23rd minute when Burkenroad dribbled towards the end line. She attempted to get a cross off, but Strom was there to block it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was to the back post, where van Dongen got her head to the ball, sending it wide.

The Pride were given a good opportunity in the 35th minute when a bad pass out of the back by van Dongen went straight to Lemos. The Pride midfielder played it forward for Kerr, who sent it right back. Karol Bernal challenged Lemos as she attempted to play the ball outside for Duljan, stepping on Lemos’ foot. Referee Shawn Tehini immediately whistled for a free kick just outside of the Monterrey box.

Larroquette and Lemos stood over the ball with Larroquette taking the set piece. The forward was looking for goal but sent her shot just wide of the near post.

The Pride won another corner kick in the 41st minute when Duljan made a run to the end line and her cross was blocked out of play by Bernal for a corner kick. Lemos’ ensuing set piece was over everyone and recovered by Gautrat. The Pride midfielder was shoved down by the forearm of Seoposenwe, but Tehini decided it wasn’t a foul.

After a quick pass with her teammate, Seoposenwe collided with Dyke just beyond midfield. The crowd booed as Tehini gave Monterrey a free kick with much less contact than the previous shove. Nicole Perez sent the free kick into the box where van Dongen headed it forward for Burkenroad. The forward’s second touch was past Manner and in to give the visitors a late first-half lead.

Neither team was able to create an opportunity in the three minutes of first-half stoppage time, so Monterrey took a 1-0 lead into the break. The Pride had more first-half possession (53%-47%) and shots (4-3), but the only attempt on target was Burkenroad’s goal.

“At halftime, we talked about what type of team do we want to be when we’re 1-0 down,” Hines said. “I thought in the first half we played a lot of direct play and I wanted us to control the game. Get a few more passes, use the middle, find the 10s in the middle, and the first half we didn’t do that. You know, the goal is frustrating because what led to it, the free kick, and we’ve been very good in defending set pieces this year. So that was disappointing.”

The Pride created the first chance of the second half just four minutes after the restart. It came from a long ball by Gautrat to Watt. The forward took on the multiple defenders by herself, eventually shooting from about 30 yards out. While this attempt wasn’t blocked, it went way over the goal.

The Pride found their equalizer in the 50th minute when Kerr received a long ball out of the back and used a great individual effort to get her first professional goal. The rookie received the ball on the left and, after dribbling inside, tried to play Watt back out wide. However, the ball bounced off a defender and went right back to her. Kerr shot for the corner from just outside of the box, putting it past Tajonar and in to even the game at 1-1.

“Got the ball and started driving inside, and then Ally kind of made that run outside. So, I originally tried to play that ball to her down the line that kind of got the rebound off the defender and just kept going inside and that was just up to me,” Kerr said about her goal. “So I just placed it hard and low on the ground.”

“It’s a great goal,” Hines said. “You know, received that in the wide space, having the ability to turn and play, cutting inside. You know, it’s a lucky ricochet, but having the composure to go back across goal and it’s a great finish.”

Hines made his first two changes in the 59th minute, bringing in a pair of regular starters. Kerry Abello and Yates came into the game for Strom and Gautrat. While Abello is usually a right back, she took over for Strom at center back after entering the game.

Monterrey retook the lead shortly after the changes, scoring its second goal in the 61st minute. Receiving the ball from the right, center back Rebeca Bernal took one touch before firing from long distance. Abello was closing down the defender, but the shot was past her. There wasn’t much Manner could do about it as the ball went into the corner to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

They looked to extend their lead in the 62nd minute when Seoposenwe was sent down the left. Catching up to the ball before it crossed the end line, nobody in purple closed her down, enabling the midfielder to send it into the box. Abello was beaten to the ball by Myra Delgadillo, who volleyed it on target, but the redirection was right to Manner.

A poor clearance out of the back by Dyke in the 65th minute was won by Monterrey. Van Dongen collected the ball and her second touch was a shot from long distance. It was a quality strike, and the ball appeared to be heading just inside the far post, but Manner dove and caught it.

Shortly after the chance, Hines made his third substitution. Doyle, another regular starter for the Pride, came into the game for Larroquette. The Pride made their fourth change and used their final window in the 72nd minute. Watt exited the game and was replaced by Allen in a like-for-like change.

Doyle tried to get the Pride back even with multiple runs into the box, but she was usually unable to get past the defenders. The midfielder took a shot from long range in the 80th minute that just skipped wide of the post. She protested Tehini’s call of a goal kick, thinking it was off a defender or tipped by Tajonar, but it was ruled to have gone directly through and out of play.

The Pride found their second equalizer of the night in the 83rd minute. After receiving a short pass from Abello, Yates played a beautiful long pass to Celia on the right. The right back used a stepover to create some space and sent a low cross to the top of the six while falling down. Doyle was the first to the pass, redirecting it past Tajonar and into the far corner to even the game at 2-2.

“When I was on the bench, I saw that Celia was getting a lot of success on that wing, and you know Celia, she can serve a ball on the dime,” Doyle said. “So, I knew I just had to hold my run a little bit not close my own space, and I knew she was going to put it right where I wanted it, and that’s exactly what she did. She beat her player, she put it on the carpet, and all I had to do was guide it into the goal.”

Doyle had a chance to give her team the lead in the 86th minute when she was sent forward by Duljan. Despite the midfielder’s speed, the center backs were able to catch up with her and rustle the ball away, enabling Tajonar to collect it.

Six minutes were added to the second half, but neither team was able to create solid chances in that time. As a result, the game ended 2-2 and the Pride continued their unbeaten run in all competitions to start the season.

The Pride ended the game with more possession (51.5%-48.5%), shots (9-7), crosses (12-6), and corner kicks (4-1). They also had better passing accuracy (80.8%-77.4%) in the 90 minutes. The difference in the game was the shooting accuracy. The Pride only put two shots on target — both goals — and Rayadas put five of their seven chances on frame.

“Second half was a different team,” Hines said. “We played a lot more through the middle. The second goal epitomizes what we’re trying to do. Good pass out to Celia, great one-v-one, great run from Jules, and then an unbelievable finish to make it 2-2.”

The draw meant that the two teams would go to a penalty shootout to see who got the extra point. The penalties were well taken, with nine of the 10 penalties being converted. The difference came in the third round when van Dongen attempted a panenka. Manner stood her ground and didn’t dive, enabling her to catch the attempt without moving. After scoring the first equalizing goal in the second half, Kerr converted the final penalty and the Pride took two points from their second Summer Cup game.

The draw means that the Pride have still yet to lose this season in all competitions. After going unbeaten in their first 16 NWSL games, they’ve drawn both Summer Cup matches. As a result, they’re now on an 18-game unbeaten run this season.

The Pride will wrap up the group stage of the Summer Cup on Aug. 1 when they welcome Racing Louisville FC to Orlando.

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to end their two-game losing streak as they welcome the North Carolina Courage to Inter&Co Stadium.

Published

12 minutes ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Image of Rafaelle playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (2-3-2, 8 points) look to bounce back from a tough loss as they welcome the North Carolina Courage (2-2-3, 9 points) to Inter&Co Stadium (8 p.m., Prime Video). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with the return game in Cary, NC scheduled for July 31.

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

History

The Pride and Courage have played 28 times since the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina and became the Courage in 2017. The Pride are 6-11-3 in the all-time series in NWSL play and 6-14-8 in all competitions (0-0-2 in the Fall Series, 0-3-2 in the NWSL Challenge Cup, and 0-0-1 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.). Orlando is 3-6-0 at home in league play and 3-7-2 in home matches against the Courage in all competitions.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place Sept. 19, 2025. The game appeared to be headed towards a scoreless draw until the end of normal time, when Shinomi Koyama converted to give the Courage the 1-0 win.

Prior to that game, the teams met on May 10 in Cary, NC. Feli Rauch scored in the first half to give the hosts the lead and it looked like they would hold on for all three points. But Prisca Chilufya’s equalizer in second-half stoppage time saw the game end in a 1-1 draw.

The first meeting in 2024 was held on May 1 in Orlando. Barbra Banda set up Ally Watt for the opener in the first half, and Watt repaid the favor just over 10 minutes later, as the Pride went up 2-0. Julie Doyle added a goal just before halftime, giving the Pride a commanding lead. Emily Sams’ own goal was the only scoring for the Courage, and Banda’s second of the night gave the Pride a 4-1 win.

On June 15, the Pride were the better team with more possession, shots, and shots on target, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. While they were disappointed with the result, the Pride were the first team to take points in North Carolina in 2024. On July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup in North Carolina, Manaka Matsukubo gave the hosts the lead just before halftime before Celia equalized late for the Pride. The game went into penalties and the Courage won the shootout 5-4. 

The first game between the Pride and Courage in 2023 took place April 19 in Orlando. The Pride took the lead after halftime when Summer Yates set up Watt for the opening goal, but Denise O’Sullivan equalized deep in second-half injury time, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On June 17 in North Carolina, it was all Courage. Kerolin and Meredith Speck gave the hosts a 2-0 lead before a Haley McCutcheon own goal made it 3-0 to North Carolina.

The Pride didn’t show up for the July 29 Challenge Cup contest in North Carolina, getting demolished by the Courage. Brittany Ratcliffe and Malia Berkely gave the hosts a 2-0 halftime lead before Frankie Tagliaferri made it three, and a late brace by Haley Hopkins completed the 5-0 beating. The Pride finally got a win over the Courage in 2023 on Sept. 17 at home. Watt scored inside the first minute. After assisting on the first goal, Adriana doubled the lead before halftime. Matsukubo got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough and the Pride won 2-1.

The first meeting in 2022 came on May 18 in North Carolina. Sydney Leroux scored early and Mikayla Cluff doubled the lead with her first professional goal. A late goal by Brianna Pinto got the Courage back within one, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took the2-1 win. On Sept. 21, 2022, at Exploria Stadium, Debinha scored early, assisted Tess Boade in first-half injury time to double the lead, and later added another goal, dooming the Pride to a 3-0 defeat.

The Pride and Courage were placed in the same division for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, so the teams played twice before the regular season started. The first game took place March 26 in North Carolina. Merritt Mathias converted a penalty after Gunny Jonsdottir was called for a handball in the box, lifting the hosts to a 1-0 win. The return match in the tournament took place on April 16 in Orlando. The Courage scored three goals in the first nine minutes. Darian Jenkins netted a brace to make it 3-2, but a late Debinha goal put the game away and North Carolina won 4-2.

The teams played three times during the 2021 NWSL season. On May 22 in North Carolina, goals by Leroux and Alex Morgan gave the Pride a 2-0 lead late into the game. Jessica McDonald scored late to pull one back but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win. On July 4 in Orlando, Debinha and Havana Solaun goals helped the Courage take home a 2-0 win. The final game was played July 31 in North Carolina. Leroux opened the scoring but Ratcliffe equalized moments later and the teams drew 1-1.

The two teams were also matched up in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup but they only played once in that tournament. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in a scoreless draw.

Similar to the Challenge Cup, the teams were in the same group of the 2020 Fall Series, meeting twice. The first took place Sept. 19 in North Carolina and ended in a scoreless draw. The second was held on Oct. 17 at Exploria Stadium. Led by a Debinha brace, the Courage went up 3-0. But the Pride came back with goals by Marisa Viggiano, Kristen Edmonds, and Ally Haran for an exciting 3-3 draw.

The Pride and Courage played three times during the 2019 season. The first game was on April 17 in North Carolina. The Courage took a 1-0 lead into halftime but scored four times in the second half to win 5-0. They played a second time on June 1 in Orlando. Again, it was a dominant performance by the Courage as the Pride fell 3-0. The final meeting that year was another thrashing by North Carolina as the Pride fell 6-1.

The teams also met three times in 2018. On May 23 in Orlando, goals by Alanna Kennedy and Rachel Hill saw the Pride come back from a 3-1 deficit. But McDonald scored a winner in the 90th minute and the Courage won 4-3. The Pride went down by three goals in the final two games that season, but were unable to come back and fell 3-0 in both contests.

The 2017 season saw the teams meet for the first time. The Courage took the first game 3-1 on April 29 in North Carolina. They played a second time two weeks later in Orlando when the Pride took the 3-1 win. The final meeting in 2017 came in the final game of the season on Sept. 30. Kennedy netted a late winner, leading the Pride to a 3-2 win.

Overview

The Pride went into the three-week international break on a four-game point streak, recording a pair of wins and a pair of draws. However, they’ve had two poor results since then, a 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville on the road and a 4-2 loss to the Washington Spirit at home.

The most recent game got off to a terrible start as Sofia Cantore scored twice in the first five and a half minutes to give the Spirit a 2-0 lead. It looked worse when Ally Lemos had her penalty saved by Sandy MacIver. But Banda scored twice before the break to even the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately, Claudia Martinez and Trinity Rodman scored in the second half, lifting the visitors to a two-goal win and handing the Pride their second consecutive loss. The losses put the Pride in 12th place in the league standings, but just one point behind eighth.

With Kerry Abello and Kylie Nadaner out, the Pride’s back line has consisted of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, and Oihane. Together with starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, the defensive unit has conceded seven goals in the last two games. But that’s not the only reason they’ve struggled the last two weeks.

Finishing has been another problem for the Pride. The only player able to convert has been Banda, who has scored four goals in the two most recent games. As previously mentioned, that included a Lemos penalty saved against the Spirit.

Tonight, the Pride face a foe in a similar position, as the Courage also sit on nine points. They’ve played three games since the break. They returned from the international break with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash before drawing Boston Legacy 2-2 and losing to the Kansas City Current 2-1.

The Courage are tied for the sixth-most goals conceded through their first seven games. That’s despite adding Canadian international goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who joined from San Diego Wave FC, where she was one of the league’s top shot stoppers.

The back line in front of Sheridan has been consistent recently, consisting of Dani Weatherholt, Maycee Bell, Uno Shiragaki, and Ryan Williams. However, Bell missed the team’s loss against Kansas City with a lower body injury.

Offensively, the Courage are led by U.S. international Ashley Sanchez, who has five goals. Matsukubo is second on the team with two goals and Weatherholt has the remaining one.

Williams leads the Courage with three assists so far this season, followed by Carly Wickenheiser, Matsukubo, Payton Linnehan, and Shinomi Koyama with one each.

“I think in any game in this league, it’s always going to be a tough matchup. I think they’re looking to bounce back from a defeat this past weekend. Similarly, we are as well,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said leading into tonight’s game. “We want to get our home form going again. Looking back at the Washington game, we’re very disappointed in the goals we conceded. We created some of our own as well and we have to capitalize on those moments. But there’s been a big emphasis on getting back to who we are as a team and not conceding sloppy goals.”

The Pride will play tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Hannah Anderson (illness), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). The Courage are without Maycee Bell (knee), Payton Crawford (knee), Natalie Jacobs (ankle), Feli Rauch (suspension), and Olivia Wingate (knee).

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Solai Washington, Haley McCutcheon, Marta.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

North Carolina Courage (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan.

Defenders: Dani Weatherholt, Natalia Staude, Uno Shiragaki, Ryan Williams.

Midfielders: Manaka Matsukubo, Shinomi Koyama, Riley Jackson.

Forwards: Ashley Sanchez, Evelyn Ijeh, Payton Linnehan.

Referees

REF: Lauren Aldrich.
AR1: Zeno Cho.
AR2: Seun Yinka-Kehinde.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 4-2 as Pride’s Defense Falls Flat in Home Loss

The Pride rallied from 2-0 down early to tie the match by halftime, but Orlando’s defense gave up two more in a home collapse.

Published

6 days ago

on

May 2, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda holding off a Washington Spirit defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (2-3-2, 8 points) squandered a first half comeback from 2-0 down with some glaring defensive mistakes and an offense that couldn’t get past a stout Washington Spirit (3-1-3, 12 points) defense in a 4-2 home loss. The crowd of 7,507 fans had to wait out over an hour and a half weather delay to be disappointed in the end, despite Barbra Banda’s brace rallying Orlando back to level terms by halftime. Two second-half goals and a lack of offensive threat by the Pride led to the team’s second straight loss in league play.

The Pride have now conceded seven goals in their last two league games, and the team’s trend of starting halves poorly continues, as Orlando fell behind 2-0 within the first six minutes of the game. Sofia Cantore’s early brace set the tone, Claudia Martinez broke the 2-2 tie 10 minutes after halftime, and Trinity Rodman killed the game off in the 70th minute.

“You go in promising positions where I thought we started that first probably one or two minutes, and then, you know, you get punished for not ending it, not finishing your press,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “Switched off at the back, and it allows [a] team like Washington, who are really dangerous in transition, with acres of space to run into.”

Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse started behind a back line of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, and Oihane. Angelina and Ally Lemos were the defensive midfielders behind an attacking line of Solai Washington, Haley McCutcheon, and Summer Yates, with Banda up top. Marta was on the bench after taking a knock last week but did not see the field, even when the Pride fell behind in the second half.

The match, which was scheduled for 4 p.m., finally kicked off at 5:37 p.m., after a delay for inclement weather. But it was the Spirit who handled the start of the game much better, pulling ahead in just the second minute with their first attempt of the game.

Cantore finished off a perfect Trinity Rodman feed over the top that Anna Moorhouse couldn’t stop.


In the sixth minute, Orlando tried to respond, with Banda working herself free on the right side and sending a dangerous cross into the box for Solai Washington’s run. The rookie left her shot too close to goalkeeper Sandy MacIver, who got a touch to it, pinging it off the left post. The rebound sparked a Spirit counterattack, which ended with another Rodman assist and a Cantore goal as Rafaelle lost track of the Spirit striker and couldn’t recover, allowing an easy finish to make it 2-0 in the sixth minute.


Following the second goal, the Pride began to assert possession but rushed their buildup, losing control in the process. They eventually worked the ball to Haley McCutcheon for a shot on goal, but it was easily saved by MacIver.

In the 16th minute, Hailie Mace struggled to contain Rodman, conceding a corner. Washington recycled several balls into the box, but Orlando’s defense eventually cleared them. The Pride then fashioned a counterattack, only for Lucia Di Guglielmo to pull Solai’s shirt, earning a yellow card.

Orlando started to string together periods of possession, but their connections in the buildup were too slow to truly pressure Washington. They earned a corner in the 25th minute, but MacIver scooped it up after a brief scramble in the box.

The Pride’s pressure should have paid off in the 30th minute. A scramble in the box led to Tara Rudd’s foul on Banda, handing Orlando a penalty kick. It was Ally Lemos who stepped up to the spot, but her run-up was easy for MacIver to read and, Lemos placed the ball far too close to the keeper and right at chest level. MacIver made an easy save, sending it out for a corner.

However, after squandering the spot kick, the Pride made the ensuing set piece pay off.

The corner was sent in to Rafaelle, who headed it down and forward to Banda. The Zambian did a good job of boxing out her defender, taking a touch to chest it down, spinning, and firing it in to put it away, cutting the lead to 2-1 in the 33rd minute.

The Pride were buoyed by the goal, coming alive. Orlando prowled around the box with sustained possession, and Banda struck again in the 38th minute to tie the game. Lemos sent a good ball over the top to Oihane on the right. The Spaniard sent in a low cross, and Banda again turned on it and blasted it past MacIver.

The match then settled into a midfield battle, with possession changing hands frequently. In the 43rd minute, Yates fired a shot high over the goal. Washington countered by working the ball into Orlando’s 18-yard box in the 45th minute, but no one was there to finish. The visitors repeated the play in the 48th minute from the other side, but neither attempt was particularly threatening.

The first half ended with possession even (50%-50%), but Orlando led in shots (9-4), shots on target (5-2), corners (3-1), and passing accuracy (80%-73%).

The Spirit started the second half on the front foot and looking to get back in front, but Orlando broke up their efforts to build, and managed to work a Banda shot in the 48th minute that was saved easily by Maclver. Washington worked her way down Orlando’s left side in the 52nd and put a cross into the box but it was too close to Maclver, who caught it easily.

Both teams managed some minor advances into each other’s territory, but good defense by both teams repeatedly snuffed out each chance.

The game turned in Washington’s favor when Mace and Rafaelle both stepped up, and a line-splitting pass allowed Martinez to in behind and put Washington up 3-2 in the 55th minute.

Again the match settled into a bit of back and forth, with not much in the way of threatening attacks. Rodman had a shot in the 63rd but sent it right at Moorehouse. Mace committed another mistake in the 65th, as she passed the ball right to Rodman, who settled and fired but the shot was blocked. Rosemonde Kouassi took a shot after getting onto the rebound but Moorhouse made the save.

The Pride made a triple substitution in the 66th minute, putting Simone Jackson in for Yates, Nicole Payne on for Oihane, and Julie Doyle on for Washington.

The subs didn’t change the game much though, and in the 70th minute, Rodman struck again. It was a simple ball over the top into space, bypassing an Orlando back line asleep to the danger. A precise cross in from Kouassi led to a tap-in by Rodman, putting Orlando in a deep 4-2 hole from which the Pride could not recover.

Luana subbed on in the 74th minute for Angelina and Seven Castain replaced Lemos in the 78th.

Orlando scratched out a few minor efforts in the Spirit’s box, but they still could not test Maclver.

The Spirit almost put another one away on a counterattack in the 85th but it was right at Moorhouse. Orlando responded with a counterattack, with Banda fighting her way through the defense and managing a close-range shot at a sharp angle that wound up over the end line for a corner. McCutcheon sent the ensuing ball in over the crossbar in the 87th.

The Pride spent the rest of the match failing to fashion any real chances with Washington playing keep-away to run out the clock, which they did well.

In the 95th minute Banda managed an attempt from the widest of angles that was easily saved and that was it for the Pride on a disappointing night that had a moment of hope going into half time.

Washington held the most possession (55%-45%) and a slight advantage in passing accuracy (77%-76%), but Orlando led in shots (16-10), shots on target (8-7), and corners (6-2).

“It can’t always be Barbra. It would turn into a one player team,” Hines said. “They do contribute in so many different ways. You know, I think some of the pressing was great. [I] think the creativity from Summer Yates was brilliant as well. You know, taking players on and getting [into] dangerous positions. That first goal again, it comes from a position where you know, you think you’re going to score. We hit the post. I think we hit the bar as well. And these are the fine margins that are kind of letting us down. We don’t want to concede four goals. (I) hate conceding. It hurts a lot. But there’s a few positives that we can take away going into the next game.”

“I think it’s definitely a difficult one. Obviously, nobody likes to lose at home,” said Payne, who made her Pride debut in the second half. “We’ve been working really hard. Especially after the last game, we really went to work to try and work on the things that we needed to fix and tweak. We fell a little bit short, but obviously, we’re a very, very good team, and we’ll have more moments. We know that we can do better and clean up those things that we need to.”

Next up, the Pride face the North Carolina Courage at home on Friday.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to bounce back from a tough loss as they host the Washington Spirit.

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6 days ago

on

May 2, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (2-2-2, 8 points) return home to face the Washington Spirit (3-1-3, 12 points). The Pride are looking to bounce back after a tough loss in Louisville on April 24. This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season, with the return game in Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Aug. 23.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s game.

History

The Pride and Spirit have faced off 29 times since Orlando joined the NWSL in 2016. The Pride are 9-7-6 in regular-season play against Washington and 11-10-8 in all competitions against the Spirit, adding in Challenge Cup and NWSL playoff matchups. Orlando is 5-3-3 in the series in NWSL play at home and 6-4-5 at home against Washington in all competitions.

The last time these two teams met was on Oct. 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. and it was an electric game. Kerry Abello opened the scoring in the late in the first half with an own goal, then scored one for her own team three minutes later. Sofia Cantore gave the Spirit the lead just before the half, but then Marta came on. The Pride captain’s shot off Narumi Miura equalized early in the second half and she converted a penalty later, after Ally Watt drew the foul, securing the 3-2 win.

The first meeting of 2025 took place on April 19 in Orlando. Gift Monday scored the game’s lone goal in the second half, giving the Spirit the 1-0 win and the Pride their first loss of the 2025 season. The teams also played in the NWSL Challenge Cup to kick off the season on March 7 in Orlando. In her first game back since July 6, Rafaelle netted the opening goal to give the Pride a late first-half lead. Leicy Santos equalized in the second half with a terrific strike, and the game finished tied at 1-1. The Spirit won the ensuing shootout 4-2 to claim the preseason trophy.

The first meeting of 2024 took place April 26 in Washington, D.C. Angelina gave the Pride the early lead before Ouleymata Sarr equalized shortly before halftime. A Barbra Banda strike and a Summer Yates penalty conversion in the second half seemed to put the game away, but Anna Moorhouse dropped an easy catch from Ashley Hatch’s shot, giving the Spirit a second goal. Fortunately, the Pride held on for the 3-2 win, extending their early-season winning streak to three games.

They met a second time on Oct. 6 in Orlando. Despite dominating the game, the Pride didn’t convert until Marta scored early in the second half. An Adriana shot was deflected by Tara McKeown for an own goal later, lifting the Pride to a 2-0 win and clinching the NWSL Shield. The Pride and Spirit were the best two teams throughout the season and faced each other in the NWSL Championship on Nov. 23 in Kansas City. Banda’s first-half goal was the difference in the game as the Pride won their first-ever league title.

The first meeting of 2023 took place May 10 at Audi Field in NWSL Challenge Cup group play. Tori Hansen gave the Pride a surprising early lead, but late first-half goals by Lena Silano, Sam Staab, and Marissa Sheva made it 3-1 Washington at halftime. Watt scored off the bench early in the second half, but Ashley Sanchez put the game away in injury time as the Spirit won 4-2.

The first regular-season matchup of 2023 was held May 20 in Orlando. Marta converted a first-half penalty, but Staab equalized five minutes later. Kylie Strom netted the winner late, and the Pride won 2-1. The Pride dominated the Spirit in the second regular-season matchup on July 1. Julie Doyle had a brace in the first 16 minutes and a McKeown own goal put the game out of reach as the Pride won 3-0.

The final meeting in 2023 was in the Challenge Cup on Aug. 4 in Orlando. The game appeared to be headed for a scoreless draw until Mariana Speckmaier scored eight minutes into second-half injury time, lifting her team to a 1-0 win.

The teams met for the first time in 2022 on May 27 at Exploria Stadium. Trinity Rodman gave the Spirit an early lead and Hatch doubled the advantage after halftime. As the game entered second-half stoppage time, it appeared as though the Pride would fall for the second straight time, but late goals by Mikayla Cluff and Darian Jenkins stunned Washington with a 2-2 draw. The teams met again on July 17 at Audi Field, and the Spirit dominated the game statistically but couldn’t find the back of the net, resulting in a scoreless draw.

Prior to the draw in May, the Pride and Spirit played two games in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. The first was held March 19 in Orlando, finishing in a scoreless draw. The second Challenge Cup meeting came on April 3 at Audi Field. Gunny Jonsdottir scored the team’s first goal in four games. However, the Spirit already had a 3-0 lead. Rodman scored a late goal to put the game away as the Pride fell 4-1.

The teams played four times during 2021. On April 21 in the Challenge Cup, Sydney Leroux’s goal was the only scoring as the Pride won 1-0. The Pride opened their regular season by hosting the Spirit on May 16. Hatch gave Washington the lead, but Alex Morgan equalized to claim a 1-1 draw. The second regular-season meeting that year happened on June 6 in Washington. Hatch opened the scoring, but Taylor Kornieck equalized minutes later, resulting in another 1-1 draw. The teams met for the final time in 2021 on Aug. 22 at Audi Field. Marta gave the Pride the lead, but Hatch equalized just two minutes later. It looked like it would be a third straight 1-1 draw, but Sanchez won it for Washington late.

Due to the pandemic, the Pride and Spirit didn’t play in 2020 but faced each other three times in 2019. They first met on July 6 in Orlando. Marta scored a brace in the second half, leading the Pride to a 4-3 win. They played again on Aug. 24 in Washington. Crystal Thomas gave the hosts the lead and Marta equalized. But Hatch’s goal lifted the Spirit to a 2-1 win. The final game was supposed to be the following weekend but was postponed due to Hurricane Dorian. Instead, the game was played Oct. 9 in Orlando. The Spirit dominated the rubber match, beating the Pride 3-0.

The first of two meetings in 2018 took place March 31 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Hatch scored a goal and added an assist in a 2-0 win for the Spirit. The Pride got their revenge in the second game in the same location. Alanna Kennedy’s goal was the difference as the Pride won 1-0. The final meeting that year was held July 7 in Orlando. Hatch gave the Spirit the lead, but Leroux scored just before halftime and Marta’s goal gave Orlando the 2-1 win.

The 2017 season was the first time the teams played three times in a year. Their April 22 meeting was the Pride’s first home game that year. Line Sigvardsen-Jensen gave the visitors the lead, but Danica Evans answered as the teams drew 1-1. They met for the second time that year in Maryland on July 8 when Marta and Mallory Pugh both scored braces in a 2-2 draw. The final game in 2018 was on Aug. 8 in Orlando. Marta, Camila, and Morgan all scored as the Pride ran away with a 3-0 win.

The Spirit swept the first two meetings in 2016, winning 2-0 in Maryland and 2-1 in Orlando.

Overview

The Pride are coming off a difficult game in Louisville, where they let a 2-1 lead get away right after halftime, allowing two quick goals in an eventual 3-2 loss. The defeat ended a four-game point streak, which included wins over the Chicago Stars and Angel City and draws against Denver Summit FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC.

On the positive side, Banda scored her first brace of the season, netting goals in stoppage time of both halves. The goals came despite missing Jacquie Ovalle, who was out with a thigh injury.

The bigger concern in the loss was defensively, as the Pride conceded three goals for the first time this season. Two of those goals came from Lauren Milliet — who scored the first brace of her career — split by striker Sarah Weber’s goal just after halftime. The final two and game-deciding goals came three minutes apart and five minutes into the second half. Coming out for the second half as focused as they went into halftime is something the Pride coaching staff has undoubtedly worked on this week.

While the team had three weeks between the win over Angel City and the loss to Racing Louisville, it’s a much shorter time between games this week. The Pride will be happy to get home as they face a Washington Spirit team that’s become a bit of a rival in recent years.

The Spirit sit in third in the NWSL standings on 12 points, seven spots and four points ahead of the Pride. However, while the Pride have a whole week off between games, the Spirit played Wednesday night, hosting Racing Louisville.

The Spirit have been excellent defensively as of late, recording four consecutive clean sheets against the Summit, Bay FC, the Kansas City Current, and Louisville. The back line in front of goalkeeper Sandy MacIver has been the same for all four games, consisting of Kate Wiesner, Esme Morgan, Tara Rudd, and Lucia Di Guglielmo.

Former Pride goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has been Washington’s starter since 2018 and one of the best shot stoppers in the NWSL. However, she announced her pregnancy in February, sidelining her for the season.

In her place is Sandy MacIver. The Scottish international was the starter for Everton from 2020-2022 before backing up Ellie Roebuck, then Khiara Keating at Manchester City. She signed a three-year deal with the Spirit prior to the 2025 campaign, spending the season behind Kingsbury. With Kingsbury on the shelf, MacIver now finds herself in the starting role.

The team is led in the attack by Santos with three goals this year. Two of those three goals came in the team’s drubbing of the Current on April 24. She’s followed by Trinity Rodman with two goals, and Monday, Claudia Martinez, Cantore, and Rebeca Bernal with one goal each.

Santos and Rodman are the two most dangerous attacking players for the Spirit, potentially causing problems for the back line. Limiting their production is key if the Pride hope to claim all three points.

“It’s always a good matchup against Washington,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of today’s game. “We’ve established some sort of rivalry now, which is always great to be involved in. Two teams that have had a lot of success in the last couple of years. We’re looking to bounce back from a disappointing result against Louisville. Being back home in front of our fans is always important and we have to make sure that we put a show on.”

The Pride will play tonight without Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). Additionally, Marta (thigh) is listed as questionable. The Spirit will be without Deborah Abiodun (hip), Hatch (maternity leave), Kingsbury (maternity leave), Casey Krueger (maternity leave), and Sara Wojdelko (hand).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Solai Washington, Haley McCutcheon, Summer Yates.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: Cara Martin, Nicole Payne, Hannah Anderson, Luana, Marta, Julie Doyle, Reagan Raabe, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson.

Washington Spirit (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Sandy MacIver.

Defenders: Gabrielle Carle, Esme Morgan, Tara Rudd, Lucia Di Guglielmo.

Defensive Midfielders: Hal Hershfelt, Rebeca Bernal.

Attacking Midfielders: Claudia Martinez, Leicy Santos, Trinity Rodman.

Forward: Sofia Cantore.

Bench: Kaylie Collins, Elisabeth Tse, Kate Wiesner, Madison Haugen, Andi Sullivan, Paige Metayer, Tamara Do Carmo, Rosemonde Kouassi, Gift Monday.

Referees

REF: Shawn Tehini.
AR1: Noah Kenyawani.
AR2: Ricardo Ocampo.
4TH: Richonne Clark.
VAR: Elton Garcia.
AVAR: Alicia Messer.

How to Watch

Match Time: 4 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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